Don't Call Me Taichou
by i ve landed
Summary: Toshiro Hitsugaya thinks he's spending his birthday alone, but Rangiku Matsumoto has other plans. Suggests budding Toshiro/Rangiku, fluff and humour. One shot.


**Title: **"Don't Call Me 'Taichou'"

**Series:** _Bleach_

**Rating:** K

**Characters/Pairings:** Toshiro/Rangiku

**Warnings:** Fluff. Very cute, snowy fluff.

**Author's Note:** Apologies for not updating "All In Good Time," but I hit a pretty bad writer's block and school and work and illness after illness didn't help. I am trying to work on the next chapter, so please be patient but enjoy this little fic. It was a writing exercise, inspired by the song, "Summer Skin" by Death Cab For Cutie.

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Snow fell the way it always did this time of year. That Toshiro Hitsugaya's birthday should be without snow seemed an impossibility. It was as if the two were interdependent. Given his zanpaktou, he probably shouldn't have given it a second thought, but he did.

Toshiro didn't dislike the cold, ice or snow. If anything, he had a great deal of respect and admiration for the peace and beauty that came with the sparkling flakes. Be that as it may, it still didn't beat his childhood days spent in the warm sun, feet dangling off the porch while Momo droned on about the academy. The cold, dry air didn't come close to the taste of juicy watermelon and cannonballs in the lake. Better yet, ice cre-

SLAP!

Something cold and wet hit the young captain. Not daring to turn around, Toshiro merely stopped. "Was there something you needed, Rangiku?"

A feminine giggle confirmed the identity of his attacker. "Oh come on, Taichou! You didn't really think you'd get away without even a teeny, tiny birthday celebration, did you?"

The white haired captain sighed, annoyed and yet slightly grateful for his lieutenant's less than mature tactics. If he allowed himself to face her, Toshiro was certain that Rangiku Matsumoto would be smirking. Her blue eyes would sparkle like a child up to no good and her strawberry blond locks would be flattened beneath some odd-looking hat Rukia had brought back for her from the world of the living. She would take one look at him, call him a "party pooper," and drag him somewhere he'd probably hate but go anyway, out of politeness and a habit of making sure she got home safely.

Another sloppy snowball hit his rear as he contemplated his options.

"Oh come on! You never have any fun."

Great, he thought. She was pouting, now. Pouting was bad. Pouting meant, blast his hormones, that she was cute. Worst case scenario, she was probably also batting her eyelashes.

"Pleeeeeeeeaze?"

She had to be making the puppy dog eyes. Damn it! Anything but that!

Defeated by the pouting, eyelash batting and puppy dog eyes he refused to look at, Toshiro Hitsugaya slumped his shoulders and turned his head. He expected another snowball from his second in command, who would surely be feigning innocence. To his surprise, Rangiku was buttoned up more than usual, her hips twisting from side to side like an anxious child. Her hands held something behind her back, what, Toshiro didn't know.

Taking a few steps towards her, Toshiro was surprised by what her hands presented him with: a whole watermelon with a red bow wrapped around it.

His turquoise eyes traveled to the woman's face in surprise. She, the infamously outgoing Rangiku Matsumoto, was blushing and shyly looking at the ground to the right of his feet. "You... you've seemed a bit down, Taichou." Her sparkling blue eyes suddenly met his. "It just didn't seem right. E-especially on your birthday."

Toshiro wasn't sure when he regained movement of his limbs, but he reached out, taking the giant fruit from her and using the opportunity to steal an innocent brush of skin. "Thank you, Rangiku."

Her face grew redder. "Well, I guess I better--"

"Why don't you join me?"

The words were out before he realized it. Truth be told, he wasn't sure he cared.

"Ummm..." She was hesitating. Strange, she rarely does that...

The young captain couldn't be sure of where this sudden stream of courage flowed from, but he wasn't about to complain. "Join me," Toshiro repeated. "One on condition."

The woman raised a curious eyebrow, expecting a lecture on decorum or something equally formal and boring. She was surprised by the next words that left his lips.

"Don't call me 'Taichou.'"

Toshiro looked into her eyes, waiting patiently for her answer. Relief filled him as a warm smile crossed her lips. "I think I can do that."

Offering his arm, he walked the beautiful woman out of the cold to enjoy his warmest and happiest birthday ever.


End file.
